Democratic rights and duties
It seems this will be a turbulent week in the city, as agitators use the protest over the draft bill on education as an excuse to indulge in excesses such as those we saw last Thursday. These people should be met with a response that should not only come from the police and judiciary. The political system has to take a firm stand against those who exploit the concerns of our young people in order to further their own political agenda. The political parties have a duty to condemn every act of violence, no matter where it originates, and no matter what excuse it uses. The Hellenic Republic is 33 years old. It is not perfect – no system is – but it is continually improving in a democratic manner, with the majority ruling and the minority in opposition, through dialogue and peaceful protest. Any act outside that framework is a threat to democracy’s essence. Protest is a democratic right, opposition to acts of violence is a democratic duty.
